Christian Poltéra
Cellist Christian Poltéra's discography reflects the balance he keeps in his performance appearances between concerto, chamber, and recital concerts. He performs a remarkably broad range of repertoire, from mainstream works by J.S. Bach, Mozart, and Shostakovich to lesser-known fare by Frank Martin, Othmar Schoeck, and Michael Tippett. In recital and chamber music, Poltéra has collaborated with such artists as pianists Mitsuko Uchida and Lars Vogt, violinists Gidon Kremer and Christian Tetzlaff, and a spate of well-known and ad hoc ensembles, including the Zehetmair, Auryn, and Belcea quartets. Poltéra is also a member of the Trio Zimmermann with Frank Peter Zimmermann and Antoine Tamestit. Poltéra has recorded for various labels, including BIS, Chandos, and Naxos.
Poltéra was born in Zurich, Switzerland, in 1977. He studied cello with Nancy Chumachenko at the Zurich School of Music. Under her guidance, he played in a trio with violinist Linus Roth and pianist (now conductor) Philippe Jordan, and with them, won first prize in chamber music performance at the 1992 Swiss National Competition. Poltéra had further studies with Boris Pergamenschikow in Berlin and with Heinrich Schiff in both Salzburg and Vienna. During his student years, Poltéra was already drawing notice as a soloist; at 17, he replaced Yo-Yo Ma in a Zurich concert with the Tonhalle Orchestra under David Zinman in a performance of an Elgar concerto. In 1998, Poltéra debuted in the recording studio with a pair of Pan Classics releases, the first containing the Cello Concerto of Paul Huber and the next offering a Dvořák concerto. By the turn of the new century, Poltéra was regarded among the most talented young Swiss cellists. In 2001, Poltéra became a member of the BBC New Generation Artist scheme, performing in that capacity until 2004. That year, he received a Borletti-Buitoni Trust Award, which provides financial assistance to outstanding young talent in the development of their careers.
In 2006, Poltéra made his New York debut at Avery Fisher Hall with the American Symphony Orchestra, and the following year made his BBC Proms debut. Meanwhile, the European Concert Hall Organization selected Poltéra as a Rising Star for the 2006-2007 concert season. In this role, Poltéra was given a slate of concerts in a repertoire of his choosing at some of Europe's most prestigious concerts halls. In 2007, Poltéra joined violinist Frank Peter Zimmermann and violist Antoine Tamestit to establish the Trio Zimmermann ensemble. Poltéra continued making important debuts, as with his 2008 appearance at Carnegie Hall with Mitsuko Uchida and others in a performance of Messiaen's Quartet for the End of Time. In 2010, Trio Zimmermann issued an acclaimed BIS recording of Mozart's trios K. 471 and K. 563. Poltéra's busy 2012 schedule included concerts in Switzerland and Belgium with pianist Ronald Brautigam in sonatas by Beethoven.
Poltéra teaches at the University of Lucerne and regularly offers master classes. Since 2013, he has been the artistic director of the Kammermusiktage Büsingen festival. Poltéra has continued a steady recording career as a soloist and with Trio Zimmermann, offering an eclectic catalog of works. In 2022, BIS issued the box set A Retrospective, containing its five Trio Zimmermann albums which cover music from Bach to Schoenberg. That year, BIS also released a recording of Poltéra leading the Munich Chamber Orchestra from the cello on a recording of two Haydn concertos and Hindemith's Trauermusik. Poltéra plays a 1675 Antonio Casini cello and the 1711 "Mari" Stradivarius.
© Robert Cummings & Keith Finke /TiVo
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Discography
20 album(s) • Sorted by Bestseller
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Brahms & Schumann - Works for Cello and Piano
Christian Poltéra, Ronald Brautigam
Classical - Released by BIS on Feb 16, 2024
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Saint-Saëns: Cello Sonatas Nos. 1, 2, Prière, The Swan & Romance
Christian Poltéra, Kathryn Stott
Classical - Released by Chandos on Oct 1, 2009
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Mendelssohn: Works for Cello & Piano
Christian Poltéra, Ronald Brautigam
Chamber Music - Released by BIS on Oct 6, 2017
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Ligeti: Concertos
Joonas Ahonen, Christian Poltéra, BIT20 Ensemble, Baldur Brönnimann
Classical - Released by BIS on Jan 6, 2017
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Barber: Cello Concerto and Sonata
Classical - Released by BIS on Jan 1, 2013
Gramophone Editor's Choice24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Fauré: Cello Sonatas Nos. 1, 2, Piano Trio & Nocturne
Kathryn Stott, Christian Poltéra, Priya Mitchell
Chamber Music - Released by Chandos on Jan 1, 2008
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Haydn & Hindemith: Cello Works
Christian Poltéra, Munich Chamber Orchestra
Classical - Released by BIS on Aug 5, 2022
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
R. Schumann, C. Schumann & Brahms: Sonatas & Songs
Christian Poltéra, Kathryn Stott
Chamber Music - Released by BIS on Jan 3, 2020
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Dvoirak: Silent Woods
Christian Poltéra, Kathryn Stott
Chamber Music - Released by BIS on Sep 1, 2012
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Martin, F.: Cello Concerto / Ballade for Cello and Piano / 8 Preludes
Classical - Released by BIS on Feb 1, 2008
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Pejacevic : Trio pour piano, Sonate pour violoncelle
Andrej Bielow, Christian Poltéra, Oliver Triendl
Chamber Music - Released by CPO on Aug 2, 2011
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Toch: Works for Cello
Christian Poltéra, NDR Radiophilharmonie, Stefan Tönz, Karl-Andreas Kolly, Heinrich Schiff
Classical - Released by Pan Classics on May 21, 2021
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Taneyev & Glazunov: String Quintets
Gringolts Quartet, Christian Poltéra
Chamber Music - Released by BIS on Mar 4, 2016
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Dvořák & Martinů: Cello Concertos
Christian Poltéra, Berlin Deutsches Symphony Orchestra, Thomas Dausgaard
Classical - Released by BIS on Apr 8, 2016
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Honegger: Cello Concerto / Cello Sonata / Cello Sonatina / Sonatina for Violin and Cello
Classical - Released by BIS on Oct 3, 2007
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Martinů & Shostakovich: Cello Concertos
Christian Poltéra, Berlin Deutsches Symphony Orchestra, Gilbert Varga
Classical - Released by BIS on Jun 2, 2017
24-Bit 96.0 kHz - Stereo -
Dutilleux, H. / Lutoslawski, W.: Cello Concertos
Classical - Released by BIS on Dec 8, 2009
The Qobuz Essential Discography24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Schoeck: Cello Concerto / Cello Sonata / 6 Songs Transcription
Classical - Released by BIS on Mar 20, 2007
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Christian Poltera Plays Martin, Honegger, Schoeck
Classical - Released by BIS on Mar 13, 2012
24-Bit 44.1 kHz - Stereo -
Walton & Hindemith: Cello Concertos
Christian Poltéra, Orquestra Sinfônica Do Estado De São Paulo, Frank Shipway
Classical - Released by BIS on Sep 29, 2014
16-Bit CD Quality 44.1 kHz - Stereo